National Wildlife Refuge · Oregon · FWS Region 1

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is located in Harney County, Oregon, with about 188,064 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 8 mapped hunt units: 2 open under general rules, 2 open with special regulations, and 4 closed, covering about 67,809 huntable acres.

2 open units2 with special regs4 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
8hunt units
67.8Khuntable acres
188KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Malheur NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Malheur NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

The sagebrush country of southeast Oregon seems to stretch unbroken as far as the eye can see, but amid this dry environment is a vast wetland area – more than 187,000 acres at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammals

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Oregon regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (8)

Acreage by status
Open: 8,985 (5%)Special regulations: 58,823 (31%)Closed: 120,262 (64%)67.8Khuntable acres
  • Open8,985 ac 5%
  • Special regulations58,823 ac 31%
  • Closed120,262 ac 64%
Units by size (acres)
Harney/Mud Lakes
45,639 ac
Buena Vista
36,244 ac
Safety Zones
30,046 ac
P Ranch
25,405 ac
N. Malheur Lake
22,579 ac
Double O
19,172 ac
S. Malheur Lake
6,397 ac
Boundary
2,588 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Boundary
Show on map · Directions		 Open 2,588 —
S. Malheur Lake
Show on map · Directions		 Open 6,397 —
Buena Vista
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 36,244 —
N. Malheur Lake
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 22,579 —
Double O
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 19,172 —
Harney/Mud Lakes
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 45,639 —
P Ranch
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 25,405 —
Safety Zones
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 30,046 —

Malheur NWR by the numbers

With about 67,809 huntable acres, Malheur NWR ranks #2 of 16 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Oregon and #37 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 36% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Buena Vista (36,244 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Boundary, covers 2,588 acres.

4 units totaling 120,262 acres are closed to hunting (Double O, Harney/Mud Lakes, P Ranch, and Safety Zones). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 188,064 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 35 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Malheur NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Oregon sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Waterfowl, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Not listed

USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.

You'll also need

  • A valid Oregon hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Malheur NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Anglers may fish year-round from Page Dam to the confluence of the Blitzen River and Bridge Creek on these waterways: Blitzen River, East Canal, Mud Creek and Bridge Creek. Anglers may fish on Krumbo Reservoir year-round.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Malheur NWR

Navigate

Destination: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
43.24329, -119.18935
DMS
43°14′35.8″N 119°11′21.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Burns, OR25 mi S of town
  • Lakeview, OR94 mi NE of town
  • Bend, OR121 mi SE of town
  • Ontario, OR124 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • RDM Redmond (Bend)120 mi
  • BOI Boise Airport151 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Malheur NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Los Angeles local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:49 AM6:19 AM7:34 PM13h 15m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM7:09 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM6:40 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM6:15 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:00 AM6:30 AM4:50 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM4:34 PM9h 45m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM4:23 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM4:22 PM9h 00m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:58 AM7:28 AM4:30 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:56 AM7:26 AM4:44 PM9h 19m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:43 AM7:13 AM5:06 PM9h 53m

Computed for 43.243, -119.189 (PDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Malheur NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Managed Fields, Openers and Rules

How dove hunting works on National Wildlife Refuges — managed fields and draw days, HIP and plugged-gun rules…

Malheur NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Malheur NWR?

Yes. Malheur National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 4 units (67,809 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Malheur NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Malheur NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Malheur NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Malheur NWR located?

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is in Harney County, Oregon, about 25 miles S of Burns, OR (straight-line). GPS: 43.24329, -119.18935.

What are legal shooting hours at Malheur NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Lake County, OR · 53 mi SW

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

260K huntable acres

Sheldon NWR

Humboldt County, NV · 99 mi S

4 open2 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

536K huntable acres

Deer Flat NWR

Canyon County, ID · 128 mi E

1 open4 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

3.1K huntable acres

Klamath Marsh NWR

Klamath County, OR · 130 mi W

1 open1 closed
🦆🕊️🎣

11.7K huntable acres

Clear Lake NWR

Modoc County, CA · 135 mi SW

1 open1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️

10K huntable acres

Modoc NWR

Modoc County, CA · 140 mi SW

2 special3 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🎣

2.3K huntable acres

All refuges in Oregon →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.